Unable to "Preview" User Filters On a Published Data Connection from Tableau Desktop

Published: 30 Jun 2016Last Modified Date: 25 Sep 2017

Issue

The Tableau Desktop "preview user filter" tool (also called "Filter as user") does not restrict the data in the view to the selected user when connected to a published data source that had a user filter applied at the "data source" level.

When viewing the same workbook in Tableau Server, the user filter appears to be working as designed.

Environment

Tableau Server 9.0 and later versions

Tableau Desktop 9.0 and later versions

Resolution

Here is the recommended process for applying user filters in the Tableau Server environment:

Create and test the user filter in Tableau Desktop.

Move the user filter to the data source level by making a data source filter using the user filter calculation and/or set.

Publish the data source and connect to the published data source.

This process checks the efficacy of the user filters while preventing users from editing or removing user filters from the workbook.

If the data source has already been published with user filters in place, you can test the user filters in action by having users log into Tableau Server and review the content.

Cause

Previewing user filters is not available for connections to Tableau Server data sources (ie published data connections). Impersonation is not available with data server.
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